67 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I am beyond disgusted. The HSUS needs to promptly remove "humane" from their name and any literature they produce. They are stone cold lying about and endorsing dogs bred for one thing: dog fighting, dogs that are killing people and other animals in record numbers than they ever have before, dogs responsible for more damage in life, limb, pain, suffering, and money than any other breed of canine ever known.

Money still talks. If you currently donate to the HSUS (I don't because they were already softening their stance on pit bulls well before this travesty) cut off your donations, and make sure they know why. Share this information with everyone you know and encourage them to do the same. Until they're willing to get out of bed with radicals and mercenaries, they have completely subverted their entire mission, tarnished their once good reputation, and proven that they are no longer capable of doing what needs to be done to protect animals from cruelty, torture, and criminal death at the hands of thugs and miscreants, many who use pit bulls to do their dirty work.

I am stunned by the boldness of this lie. What part of bred-to-fight-to-the-death-in-a-pit does the HSUS not understand? Humans suffer, animals suffer... and HSUS takes in millions of dollars from people who do not understand what they are supporting. The promotion of suffering as a fund raising tool is beyond a disgrace.

Last year they let morons at Best Friends, Bad Rap and Winograd shove them around regarding their no adoption fighting dog policy. It's simply disgusting that the largest and most powerful humane group is allowing these radical nuts to alter major organizational policies. Even worse, the HSUS lacks the courage to STAND UP for pit bulls by fully supporting mandatory spay/neuter pit bull laws (Hey, only 1 million unwanted pit bulls were euthanized last year) and to STAND UP for the COUNTLESS animals these pit bulls keep killing.

Who, exactly, made this statement? Because dogfighting is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry in this country....where are all these pit bulls used for dog fighting coming from, if they are NOT BEING BRED FOR DOGFIGHTING????

This makes no sense at all..... this statement completly ignores logic, science, and genetics. Breeding dogs to be "good at" whatever task you expect them to do...be it herding, hunting, or fighting.....is fundamental animal husbandry. Any ten year old involved in 4H could tell you this.

The HSUS has really bottomed out....they have increasingly adopted a more radical agenda. Its very sad that there are no animal welfare organizations willing to advocate for the countless animals mauled and killed by pit bulls each day in this country.

How does "loyalty to their owner" explain the off property maulings by pit bulls who have "somehow" escaped from fenced yards? How does "loyalty to their owner" explain off property maulings by pit bulls while the owners are out to dinner, sleeping, passed out on the couch, out of town (or in jail) and family members or friends are watching the dogs? How does "loyalty to their owner" explain pit bulls that break away from their owners to attack babies in wagons, or held in their parents arms? How does "loyalty to their owners" explain pit bulls that crash through screens or windows, or even air conditioners, to attack peaceful people walking their peaceful pets on public sidewalks? Please, HSUS, help me understand...

i looked for a name. apparently no one at H$U$ is willing to be identified or more likely, no one at H$U$ could be identified because H$U$ did NOT write it. H$U$ public statements on pit bulls has been reduced to copy and paste pre-approved berkey talking points.

Corrupt organizations like Best Friends (who with Winograd were spewing Rick Berman progaganda to attack successful national humane groups because BEST FRIENDS WANTED THE MONEY DONATED TO THEM INSTEAD) attacked HSUS, smeared them, attacked people who worked for them.

HSUS has a lot of different programs that help a lot of different animals, for example their anti-puppy mill work.

Fighting off the insane pit bull stalkers w/ their death threats just took away from the other programs for animals.

Best Friends and the others started an agenda of stalking and threats against HSUS that had nothing to do with anything but trying to steal away donations so they could help their pit bull breeder and dog fighter friends that Best Friends is signing amicus briefs with, and so Winograd could make his new puppy mill and dog fighter lobbyists happy.

Best Friends then got the obvious haters of HSUS like the puppy mill AKC breeder insane Nazis to stalk and harass HSUS.

The funny thing is the pit bull nuts still hate HSUS and smear them because the HSUS anti-dog fighting campaign has been so successful (and because the pit bull nuts oppose regulation that HSUS supports, and the nuts who run pit bull "rescue" want the donations sent to them instead so they can help dog fighters).

So some of the "fake outrage" at HSUS over the pit bull thing is actually dog fighters and breeders just using this latest issue to take pot shots at them.

I absolutely still donate to HSUS, but indicate that my donations are to be used for other programs, not anything connected to pit bulls, which they are fine with.

(What I'd really like to know is, where is all this outrage when it comes to ASPCA, who hired Ledy VanKavage to promote pit bulls, and still does her work even after she moved to Best Friends; Best Friends, who is ACTIVELY involved with pit bull breeders and dog fighting interests connected to them, and spending donations lobbying FOR dog fighters and breeders; and the others?)

This is NOT something that Best Friends, Bad Rap, and the rest support. The pit bull-promoting organizations OPPOSE strict animal control ordinances.

Best Friends etc are OPPOSED to strict animal ordinances to help their breeder and puppy mill friends, their hoarder friends that are necessary to pretend that No Kill works, and all the other deranged animal abusers that Best Friends attracts.

The Bad Raps of the world oppose strict ordinances to help out the breeders, and let pit bulls get away with inflicting death and injury without punishment (as does the No Kill crowd dumping pit bulls on unsuspecting people. They want NO laws!)

(Think Maria McKenna ideology)

Nathan Winograd opposes ordinances to help the puppy mill, dog fighter, and breeder lobbyists who pay the bills now.

HSUS is literally the only thing between the U.S. continuing to be a dog fighting, puppy milling hell with no anti-cruelty laws, and a possibility of some change.

The other organizations don't have any real ability to make things better for animals, and PRO cruelty lobbies are very rich and powerful in a very corrupt way.

I'm not caving in to the pit bull nuts, the No kill killers, Best Friends, Bad Rap, the dog fighters, the AKC puppy millers and all the other WEALTHY lobbies that are actively trying to make thing worse for animals right now by dissuading people from donating to HSUS.

It makes no sense to screw the other animal programs, and other animals, actively helped by HSUS just for the pit bull element.

It's easy enough just to stipulate that no donation goes to pit bull programs, and that is ok to them. They have a variety of specific programs, like the Rural Vet Program, the puppy mill program, that can get specific donations.

During his tenure as HSUS president and CEO, Pacelle has spurred major growth for the organization, which is now the nation's largest animal protection organization with 11 million members and constituents, annual revenue of $130 million, and assets of $200 million. The growth has partly been achieved through successful mergers with other animal protection organizations. In 2004, Pacelle and Michael Markarian (president of The Fund for Animals and now Chief Operating Officer at HSUS) helped engineer the corporate combination of The HSUS and The Fund for Animals, the national organization founded by Cleveland Amory. In 2006, he was the architect of a combination with the Doris Day Animal League, founded nearly 20 years ago by iconic actress Doris Day, and also one of the major American animal protection organizations. More recently, he created the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, after the formerly named Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights was brought into the HSUS family.

One of the most important things that is needed right now is a national Pit Bull VICTIM advocacy group that represents the interests of pit bull victims, sues the owners of the dogs and the breeders and organizations selling attacking pit bulls to people, counters the pit bull propaganda, advocates for better laws to protect public safety AND to punish the owners and sellers of these dangerous dogs, and gets the voice of the VICTIMS out there.

It has been so disappointing to see the legal community sit by as people and their pets die. Certainly there are lawyers starting advocacy groups for victims of everything else. They go after businesses doing or selling dangerous things.

Why have they abandoned victims of the pit bull breeders and sellers, the victims of that business?

Years ago, HSUS came out against the "no kill" movement and their donations went downhill. They had to back off of no kill as a result. Of course, I am upset that they are "forced" into taking this position and I say forced because I think that is what it is. I see it as a public relations/marketing ploy. To do it this way assures that donations will come in from the pit nutters and the pit breeders. The breeders, in particular, have money and they love this shit. So HSUS turns around and uses their money to bust the dogmen and the puppy mills. It may not be apparent to us but this is the way to insure continued donations for that work. Many times you do have to sacrifice in order to get where you want to go. I think HSUS is doing that with this course of action. Since when do we believe everything that a non profit tells us? They only tell the public that which can bring in donations, they don't tell us the bad things they do. Do I like the fact that they have to take this course of action, of course I don't. But I am not so quick to condemn with the experience I have had with non profits and donations.

Any organization that can walk into farm states and tell farmers how to run those farms, SHOULD have the nerve to acknowledge the problem with millions of pit bulls flooding shelters, and the violence in our communities. Lives are lost, both human and animal. Survivors lives are ruined. This is a breed specific problem and requires a breed specific solution. HSUS insiders reportedly discuss, behind closed doors, the pit bull problem but will not make a public recommendation to neuter and spay these dogs. HSUS has chosen the profitable excuses to keep the money coming in.

I have takem my concerns to the ASPCA, the AKC, and a local shelter that I have financially supported for many years (big contributions). The AKC had no response, the ASPCA and my local shelter simply told me I'm wrong. I have taken my charitable dollars elsewhere.

At the heart of all of this is the one big problem that makes all this happen

There wouldn't be Jane Berkeys, Ledy VanKavages, Bad Raps, crazy ass rescues putting aggressive pit bulls in homes, Maria McKennas, Jere Alexanders, Nathan Winograds, Jim Crosbys, vets lying about breeds of dogs that attack or doing coverups for pit bulls that attack, pit bulls killing people and other animals if it wasn't for the BREEDING COMMUNITY that makes a ton of tax fraud income breeding and selling pit bulls

It's the breeders that made this problem and perpetuate it, and oppose any kind of animal ordinance or regulation whatsoever so they can KEEP breeding aggressive and deadly dogs and making money from them, and also keep dog fighting alive.

It's the BREEDER LOBBIES like AKC, UKC, all the others that spend millions to oppose any kind of restrictions or laws so breeders can keep breeding and selling vicious dogs and enjoying the "tradition" of dog fighting.

Without the breeders, none of these others would be a problem or have any reason to do what they do.

Anon:05 I totally agree that there needs to be an organized pit victim group. Although DBO does a great job, DBO needs those who can organize and do what needs to be done. DBO can't do it alone but DBO is the best place to start. I would gladly volunteer my time to take orders from DBO about contacting legislators, reporters, etc. They are backing us into a corner and we need to come out fighting.

HSUS is not "forced" to do anything. They chose a course of action that would give them more donations. They could have easily made a different choice and saved money by eliminating pit bull only programs. They did not. PETA made a different choice, and they take the heat for it, but they live with it. I am no fan of either organization, but I see the dishonesty of HSUS as very counter-productive. Being pit bull apologists and pushing their adoptions to gain favor with certain groups and therefore increase funds increases the problems with pit bulls that they must then deal with and use their donations for. Tough love and truth will go much further, and save them more money, in the long run.

I am not a dog fighter, dog breeder, or anything else associated with those sociopaths. My outrage at the HSUS caving and giving lip service to these sociopaths and their lies is completely real, so watch the asinine accusations of "fake outrage". I almost lost my life in a pit attack, and it pisses me off beyond measure you have this statement, that pits aren't bred to fight, coming from the biggest humane organization in the world. I won't donate another red cent to them and will do everything in my power to make sure the people I know do the same until they back the hell off this idiocy. When they start regurgitating the lies of the pit apologists, they're putting lives in danger. People listen to them.

"Any organization that can walk into farm states and tell farmers how to run those farms, SHOULD have the nerve to acknowledge the problem with millions of pit bulls flooding shelters, and the violence in our communities."

HSUS was never a pit bull policy group, but always an anti dogfighting group. They are the only group making a difference on dogfighting. PETA never put a dent into dogfighting, and the ASPCA never put a dent into anything.

I think HSUS is doing what they need to do to keep their anti dogfighting programs, anti factory farm, etc funded.

The fact is, when they have been under intense fire by the pit bull lobby, they got virtually no support. Why would they characterize pit bulls the way we want them to when no one on the pro BSL side went to the mat to defend them during the Faron dogs controversy?

Dave wrote: "Why would they characterize pit bulls the way we want them to when no one on the pro BSL side went to the mat to defend them during the Faron dogs controversy?"

Why would they endanger human lives by spreading lies that animals that were bred to fight weren't? Have they gone the way of so many other "animal welfare" groups that value animal life above human life? That is fringe behavior. That is one step above domestic terrorism, and a narrow step at that. When any charitable organization starts putting donor interests above public safety, they have lost any moral ground they may have ever had and become no better than the thugs they claim to be fighting.

And the HSUS cannot both promote and protect pit bulls. The ONLY way to end dogfighting is to end pit bull breeding and the only way to end pit bull breeding is to outlaw it. And pit bulls have to be recognized as the breed apart that they are before the laws will change. Suggesting that the promotion of pit bulls is somehow a necessary step in their protection is asinine.

The HSUS may be an anti-dog fighting group, but so is the claim from every pit bull rescue out there. No legitimate group is pro-dog fighting, or at least they won't state they are on their web page. So the point is they do a lot to mop up fighting. Okay. I think they could do a lot more in terms of prevention if they were truthful about pit bulls and came out in favor of BSL. They are not going to get organized vocal support for such a choice but they will have facts on their side. And prevention saves more money then they get in donations. Right now they are doing the very worst thing possible: play both sides in an effort to grab as much money as possible. The result is conflicting information that is making them look like fools. What BSL needs is a major organization to call out the pit bull lobby on their desire to push pit bull adoptions at the expense of public safety. HSUS can do that while still cleaning up the dog fighting and denouncing BSL if they so choose. Being dishonest about pit bull genetics and purpose is the wrong way to go.

Turkey, I would like to agree with you but can't. The lesson was learned by HSUS on the no kill movement, a valuable lesson. Peta operates totally differ from HSUS, they are considered radical and you won't see them sitting down with a legislator very often. But I feel that because of Peta, HSUS is able to get in the door because they don't want to deal with Peta. They actually compliment each other to me. I have to agree with Dave, however. Donations make the difference in whether HSUS can continue to do the good work or not. Do we want them to stop or to stop other programs that are helpful like RAVS? I don't. I've been in this business for far too long and have learned that you either make hard decisions or you fail. HSUS uses the donations of those nutters and breeders to bust dogfighters and puppy mills. Are we willing to give that up? The way we can fight is to organize.

Do I like what HSUS is doing, of course not but I do understand why they are doing it. If they were to say that pits were bred to fight and are dangerous to own would only bring the wrath of people who have lots of money to fight them. I say walk away to fight another day.

Nothing new here. The HSUS has been advocating for pit bulls and for better breeding of pit bulls for years. “Pit bull guardians and animal welfare groups say that it is irresponsible owners and POOR BREEDING - not an inherently vicious breed.”

HSUS is anti BSL; not only have they opposed community efforts to improve public safety, they've participated in the promotion of pit bulls right down to the publication of their own pro pit puff pieces: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/hardworking_pit_bulls.html

"HSUS uses the donations of those nutters and breeders to bust dogfighters and puppy mills. Are we willing to give that up?"

But the breeders are the reason the puppy mills and dogfighters exist in the first place. Supporting a group like HSUS is a bit like tearing down the dam and then trying to bail away the river...

Someone has to start. I think that public opinion, and the increasing attacks, have put groups like the SPCA and the AVMA in a position where they could change their views on the inherent nature of the pit bull. It would make it a lot easier for those groups to become pro-BSL if both PETA and the HSUS were telling the truth about these dogs.

The AVMA has a vested financial interest in protecting and promoting pit bulls. A large percentage of their members' income comes from treating animal victims of pit attacks. God forbid they do anything to dry that revenue up. It's sickening.

I think that is true only for a minority of vets who are knowingly treating fighting dogs. There are also a lot of misanthropes in veterinary medicine who don't really consider the human angle important and the profession certainly has its share of lion tamers. But for most vets, and the AVMA as a whole, I think the "support" for pit bulls comes from lack of experience with the breed, misinformation, and fear of the breeder lobby and pit nutter crowd. A lone veterinarian refusing to treat pit bulls can well expect to be picketed out of business (if not subjected to something even more violent) - would you bring your small dog or cat past 10 or 12 pits on the sidewalk?

And I think most vets are honestly conflicted about pits - pits don't attack in the veterinary clinic environment, in fact they really are one of the easiest dogs to work with because they have zero fear and a tolerance for pain that is unmatched. And of course what they learn in the behaviour classes and behaviour rotations in veterinary school is that pits are "just like every other dog", so that is fairly deeply-rooted. The vets can see the truth in the reported human attacks and in the animal attacks they see, but they are being told not to believe their own eyes. It is a difficult position to be in.

You also have to remember that most vets are not dealing with pit attacks very often, if at all, because pits are concentrated in certain geographic areas. The vets in those areas understand the truth about pits, certainly, but are working within an environment extremely hostile to anti-pit views, or are possibly even involved with the dogfighting crowd themselves.

At the same time, the PLIT, who insure AVMA members, understands and publishes the truth about pit bulls in within-member materials. Pit bulls cost the PLIT a lot of money every time there is an "accident". They would, I think, be on-side with a perspective shift and they have some sway. In combination with a change in the position of the HSUS, I can see the PLIT laying some real heat on the AVMA to change their standpoint.

I don’t know why the URL gets clipped (won’t wrap the text) when I try to post in a comment, so here it is in three segments. Or, Google the article @ HSUS.org, ‘Hardworking Pit Bulls Buck Bad Rap.' The article is 4 years old and demonstrates the hand of HSUS in pit advocacy.

"A study by Dr. Randall Lockwood of the US Humane Society found that pit bulls are more likely to break restraints to attack someone and that pit bulls are more likely to attack their owners, possibly as a result of owners trying to separate their dogs from victims, Rowan said."

"Lockwood, who said he has witnessed the best and worst of pit bulls, said illegal dog-fighting is perpetuating dogs that are hazards to humans and other animals. Shaped by dog-fight enthusiasts, they are "a perversion of everything normal dogs should do. What they've created is a canine psychopath."

What has changed in the years since Lockwood made these statements?

1.) More pit bulls disfigure and kill human beings and animals than ever.2.) More pit bulls are bred and used in illegal dogfighting than ever.

One thing I have not shared about the day I had my Pit Bull euthanized is that she attacked a dog that week... After minutes of trying to get her off of the dog, I finally was able to get her to let go and I carried her into the house. Her face was pouring with hot sweat (something I have never in my life saw a dog do, and the vet told me it was adrenaline), she then tried repeatedly to jump face first through double paned windows, which thankfully was not able to break. The dog was in a state of panic and rage trying to get to that dog she had just attacked. I raised her with love, and then she did that. HSUS is lying when they say that only abused and mistreated Pit Bulls do that sort of thing! I hope that Pit Bull owners will run across my story and learn a lesson. This could happen to any Pit Bull owner, and it's better to be safe than be sorry that it killed a person. DOG AGGRESSION AND HUMAN AGGRESSION, IT DOES NOT MATTER, IT IS STILL UNACCEPTABLE!

I would like to add that my daughters classmate's mother was one of those people who was always spouting the line,"Its all how you raise them!". Most of the bad behavior of her first pit she excused as "playfulness", and told people she would get another pit "in a heartbeat". Her second pit she got as a puppy, raised it with three kids, took it everywhere...this dog was properly socialized. Before it was even a year old, it had killed her first dog. A short while later, it bit someone in the face.

This was a family dog, raised with kids, not tied out on a chain,...taken for walks, exposed to family life, noise, people, other animals. This woman would have sworn on her mother's grave that her pit bull would never bite anyone.

I cannot stress enough that "testimonials" about pit bull temperament from pit bull owners are meaningless....very few of these people are brave enough, or have the integrity, to come back after their dog hurts someone and admit that they were wrong.

HSUS has strongly opposed BSL and supported the pit bull industry. HSUS apologists deny this but the very public statements make it clear... the HSUS cares nothing for the safety of the public, and cares nothing for the thousands of dogs, cats, horses, ponies, goats, deer, etc. killed and mauled by pit bulls every year. Humane? I don't think so.

Some of these comments are so off the wall that it makes me think maybe you guys are as bad as the pit nutters. Maybe you should have given HSUS support when they were under attack. You didn't support them, and they said F it. Pit bulls is just one breed of one species, so HSUS is clearly happy to change the policy on pit bulls since that was only one tiny part of their agenda anyway. You all only have yourselves to blame when you lose support from groups/politicians/etc because you didn't support them when they had your back.

if you have ever bothered to read anything more than just this particular blog post, you'd know that i did support and promote the HSUS. changing a position on the euthanization of fight bust dogs is one thing, but turning around and promoting a position that they know to be a lie is another. i can't find it at the moment but i thought that i read the ed faron puppie were so aggressive at 8 weeks, that they were drawing blood on their litter mates. that is NOT due to training or neglect. or loyalty to the owner

The HSUS is the mothership. A handful of young King Davids can hardly nudge the ship in any direction. And no, the HSUS did not have Craven Desire's "back" at any point. What's insane and "off the wall" is you suggesting that several blog posts by Craven's would have some how rescued the HSUS during the Faron debacle.

whoa! am i reading this wrong? are you saying that i support adopting fight bust dogs? never in a million fucking years. all dogs and all puppies from fight busts should be humanely euthanized. i have never felt any other way about it. i'm to the point where i want to form an alliance with the dog fighters. just keep those ugly fuckers chained up in the woods. i am sick of their shit bleeding out into society.

"Since the February 16 ruling by Judge Ed Wilson Jr. to euthanize the 146 dogs that were seized in a raid on Ed Faron’s Wildside Kennels, the pit bull community has been up in arms. The decision to kill the dogs was supported by the largest animal welfare organization in the country, the Humane Society of the United States. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, representatives of HSUS testified in Wilkes County Superior Court that the dogs had to be destroyed because they had been 'bred for generations to be aggressive.' HSUS reasserted its outdated policy, written more than 20 years ago: 'Any dog who has been specifically bred or conditioned for fighting, or for which there is evidence that the dog has been used for fighting should not be placed for adoption by an animal shelter but humanely euthanized as soon as legally possible."

Animal People does not "go through phases" of inaccurately reporting the history of the pit bull breed due to pressures by lobbying groups and activists. Animal People's stance has been consistent since at least 1982. The American public should expect no less from the largest and most respected humane organization, the HSUS.

i don't completely disagree with you marty. attacks did happen although not with today's frequency. i am surprised that you have not noticed, i have stopped picking on dog fighters. i am focusing on the lunatics at best friends, badrap and animal farm foundation and now apparently HSUS for their pollyanna bullshit approach to dogs bred for fighting.

Who bred the bloodlines, asshole? They didn't originally come from bybers and people wanting foofy show dogs. Squirm all you want, but dogfighters are the root of this problem. You don't get to sit back and wash your hands and play innocent now that these dogs are killing more than dogs. The biggest fucking shame is that it's not legal to cull dogfighters, or you pieces of shit and your dogs would've been extinct 50 years ago.

"The fact is, in this community not much has changed in 28 years. Except the law. But to what purpose? Dogfighters take a bigger risk, but they seldom pay the price for their cruelty. They continue it unmolested. There have been animal fighting busts and convictions in Indiana, but here the activity thrives."

This line from the letter I received from both of you is nothing if not downright infuriating:

Game-bred dogs pose a risk to other dogs and to people not just because of training, but more importantly because of breeding for aggressive characteristics. Even no-kill shelters typically recommend euthanasia of obviously dangerous dogs.

I stand even firmer in my conviction now that the HSUS is not the kind of organization any pit bull owner ought to support. This kind of rhetoric does so much harm to the breed, as a whole, that it negates any of the crusading you've done to eliminate dog fighting.

You can try to deflect blame here and tell me anything you want about Faron--I know plenty about him, but thanks for your history lesson--but the HSUS is the organization perpetuating the myths and lies about the dogs I own, handle, and love. I compete with these dogs in schutzhund and obedience, weight pull, and more.

I daresay I know enough about game-bred dogs that I know that the bill of goods you're trying to sell is nothing but hype and propaganda.

Again, I will never support the HSUS in any way again, and I will urge my friends, family, colleagues, and pit bull lovers to withdraw their support as well. No one who owns or loves a pit bull dog should support an organization that is so reckless and irresponsible as to spread half-truths and lies about our dogs.

Erin Sullivan

repeat Game-bred dogs pose a risk to other dogs and to people not just because of training, but more importantly because of breeding for aggressive characteristics. Even no-kill shelters typically recommend euthanasia of obviously dangerous dogs.

Four years on and the HSUS has risen to become the strongest legislative voice on behalf of farm animal welfare. This is what they need to stick with. (Although, the "H$U$"'s finances are minute when compared with those of Big Ag. See: http://www.countinganimals.com/meat-industry-advertising/ Kind of puts things in perspective.)

I think Anon's thoughts about specifically directing your donations are spot on. Since factory farm animals represent the greatest animal welfare issue of our time--in both numbers and amount of suffering--I will direct any money I send to be used for farm animal protection only.